I've invested a bit too and I also want it to be successful and I believe that it still can be successful, but I also think that it's a HUGE challenge that the Steemit community and leaders now face, likely much bigger now with Dan leaving so soon.
Just the public perception of Dan's decision could be enough to kill this project, considering the timing of it, with much of the community going at each other's throats before the announcement was even made.
We desperately need stability and confidence (in our "leaders" and their decisions), not more turbulence.